Wireless devices can access a wireless wide area network (“WWAN”) for voice or data services. Depending on the type of WWAN, various different types of air interface protocols might be used for communication between wireless devices and an access point for the WWAN. The air interface protocols typically define methods for sending physical signals over the air interface, frequency ranges for communication between wireless devices and the access point, control information exchanged between wireless devices and the access point, bandwidth allocation between multiple wireless devices simultaneously communicating with the access point, and various other definitions.
Depending on the air interface protocol and the particular implementation used by a WWAN, a fixed bandwidth might be available for allocation among wireless devices accessing the WWAN. For example, the total fixed bandwidth might be subdivided into carriers, which can then be allocated among the wireless devices. In allocating the carriers, each wireless device might receive the same allocation of carriers and therefore be allocated roughly the same bandwidth for sending and receiving data on the WWAN. Alternatively, the WWAN might use different carrier allocations for different wireless devices, thereby providing the wireless devices with different bandwidths for transmitting and receiving data. While each wireless device might receive the same or different allocation of carriers, a wireless device's usage of the WWAN might vary, thereby providing inefficiencies in the carrier allocations.
For example, at times a wireless device might transmit or receive small amounts of data, while at other times the wireless device might transmit or receive large bursts of data. If the wireless device were allocated a small amount of bandwidth, then the wireless device might not be able to quickly transmit or receive the large bursts of data, thereby resulting in seemingly slow performance. However, if the wireless device were allocated a large amount of bandwidth, the wireless device would seemingly be able to quickly transmit or receive the large bursts of data. At other times when the wireless device was only transmitting or receiving relatively smaller amounts of data, it would not then be using the full amount of bandwidth it was allocated and during high volume times might be depriving other devices of bandwidth that they might otherwise use to transmit and receive data on the WWAN.
Moreover, different implementations of a particular air interface protocol may limit a wireless device's ability to access the WWAN. For example, code division multiple access (“CDMA”) is one common air interface protocol. However, various different versions of CDMA (e.g., IS-2000 and IS-856) exist, and due to different methods for allocating bandwidth, providing control information, physically sending information over the air interface, and others, these versions are not necessarily compatible with one another. That is, a wireless device that only supports IS-2000 might not be able to access a WWAN that only supports IS-856 and vice versa.
As service providers develop and implement new versions of underlying air interface protocols, such as to provide higher data rates or other improved characteristics to their subscribers, the new versions might require upgrades to their customer's equipment. For example, if a customer has a wireless device that was compatible with the previous version of the air interface protocol but not compatible with the current version of the air interface protocol, the customer might have to buy a new wireless device in order to continue accessing the WWAN. Customers, however, might not be willing to continually upgrade their wireless devices to accommodate upgrades in the WWAN. This might result in a loss of customers for the service provider, or it might result in the service provider deciding not to implement, or delaying implementing, upgrades to its WWAN that might otherwise provide higher data rates or other advantages for those customers that are willing to upgrade their wireless devices.
Therefore, there exists a need for improved systems and methods of providing access and allocating resources to wireless devices on wireless wide area networks.